Broghil Pass

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Broghil Pass
کوتل بروغیل (Dari)
Mountain passes of Afghanistan
Elevation	3,798 m (12,461 ft)
Location	Afghanistan-Pakistan border
Range	Hindu Kush
Coordinates	36°53′01″N 73°21′01″E / 36.8836°N 73.3503°E / 36.8836; 73.3503
Broghil Pass Location of the Broghil Pass within the greater Karakoram region Show map of Karakoram Broghil Pass Broghil Pass (Afghanistan) Show map of Afghanistan Broghil Pass Broghil Pass (Gilgit Baltistan) Show map of Gilgit Baltistan Broghil Pass Broghil Pass (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan Broghil Pass Broghil Pass (Pamir) Show map of Pamir
Interactive map of Broghil Pass

Broghil Pass (Khowar: بروغل ان; Urdu: درۂ بروغل) is a high mountain pass crossing the Hindu Kush mountain range along the Pakistan–Afghanistan Border, connecting Upper Chitral District of Pakistan with Wakhan District of Afghanistan. It is at an elevation of 3,798 m (12,461 ft).

Sarhad Broghil is the nearest town in Afghanistan from the pass.[1] The road is being improved as of early 2025.[2]

Although the ultimate etymology is uncertain, Broghil is suggested to have been derived from two Khowar words, baṛa (lit. high) and gol (lit. valley) or guṛ (lit. ravine), translating into high valley or ravine.[3] A tributary of Wakhan River flows across Broghil, forming a narrow ravine.[4] Broghil is a relatively low pass. It was closed for about three months each winter because of snow, but for much of the rest of the year it was passable even for cart traffic.

It is one of the four major mountain passes entering Chitral District; the others are the Dorah Pass from Badakshan Province of Afghanistan, Shandur Top from Gilgit, and Lowari Top from Upper Dir District.

According to the National Geographic Genographic Project, Broghol Pass appears to be the route used by the ancestors of all modern Western Europeans to reach Europe. Modern Europeans carrying the M45 genetic marker crossed Broghol and then turned west; M45 further mutated to become M173 and then M343, which is carried by 70% of the population of England.[5]

• The 1985 comedy movie Spies Like Us depicts Dan Aykroyd crossing the Broghol Pass on a mountain yak.

• Broghil Valley National Park

• Broghil, Chitral, Pakistan
• National Geographic Genographic Project

• The Gilgit Game by John Keay (1985) ISBN 0-19-577466-3
• The Kafirs of the Hindukush (1896) Sir George Scott Robertson
• Khowar English Dictionary ISBN 0-923891-15-3